The invention relates generally to coaxial cable connectors, and more particularly to a coaxial cable connector assembly suitable for use in multi-connector RF assemblies.
Generally, coaxial cables have a circular geometry formed with a central conductor (of one or more conductive wires) surrounded by a cable dielectric material. The dielectric material is surrounded by a cable braid (of one or more conductive wires) that serves as a ground, and the cable braid is surrounded by a cable jacket. In most coaxial cable applications, it is preferable to match the impedance between source and destination electrical components located at opposite ends of the coaxial cable. Consequently, when sections of coaxial cable are interconnected by connector assemblies, it is preferable that the impedance remain matched through the interconnection.
Today, coaxial cables are widely used. Recently, demand has risen for radio frequency (RF) coaxial cables in applications such as personal computers and wireless networks. In addition, there is an increased demand for RF coaxial cables in the automotive industry, which is due, in part, to the increased electrical content within automobiles, such as cellular phones, GPS, satellite radios, Bluetooth® compatibility systems and the like. The wide applicability of coaxial cables demands that connected coaxial cables maintain the impedance at the interconnection.
Coaxial cables are used in making single line-to-line connections and also in multi-connector applications such as stripline applications. For example, coaxial connectors are commonly used in making board mounted antenna to communication device connections. However, with the ongoing trends for miniaturization and space conservation in electronic systems, it may be anticipated that current connection strategies may not meet the centerline-to-centerline communication device to antenna spacing requirements in the near future. Thus there is a need for a connector design and mating strategy that reduces centerline spacing for stripline applications.